Host Of Issues Face Returning KY Lawmakers

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- Lawmakers may revisit a host of issues when they return to the Capitol tomorrow for the final two days of the session, incudling pension reform, stronger ethics laws, and funding for water projects and roads, reports The Louisville Courier-Journal in its Sunday edition.

And if Gov. Steve Beshear vetoes items in the 2008-10 budget, lawmakers will consider whether to override them.

"There are still a lot of bills on the board that are important to different constituencies, so we've got two long days ahead," said Senate Minority Leader Ed Worley, D-Richmond. "I expect we won't be walking out the door until just after midnight Tuesday."

The General Assembly has convened for 58 days so far during this 60-day session which the state constitution says must end by April 15, reports the newspaper.

Lawmakers recessed April 2 without agreeing on how to begin reducing a $26.6 billion shortfall in state pension funds, or on how to strengthen ethics laws.

"I'm not optimistic at this point whether either of those bills will pass, based on the fact that there've been no discussions since we recessed," said Sen. Damon Thayer, R-Georgetown, a key Senate negotiator on both bills, the newspaper reports.

Rep. Mike Cherry, a Princeton Democrat who is a chief House negotiator on both issues, told The Louisville Courier-Journaal, "For us to get progress on either bill, we'll need to reach an understanding between leaderships of the two chambers."

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